SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) – 85 teens and adult staff tested positive for COVID-19 after attending a summer youth camp. 

The camp, held in mid-June, is now reporting a total of 85 cases, according to the IDPH. 

Out of all the cases, only one unvaccinated young adult was hospitalized. 

Although all campers and staff were eligible for vaccination, it was not required to be vaccinated to attend the camp, and masks were also not required to be worn indoors. 

The IDPH is aware of only a handful of campers and staff receiving the vaccine and is reminding people about the importance of vaccination, including youth, as the Delta variant and other variants continue to spread. 

“The majority of the 85 COVID-19 cases associated with the youth camp are among teens,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. “The perceived risk to children may seem small, but even a mild case of COVID-19 can cause long-term health issues. Additionally, infected youth who may not experience severe illness can still spread the virus to others, including those who are too young to be vaccinated or those who don’t build the strong expected immune response to the vaccine.”

A couple of individuals who were at the camp also attended a nearby conference, which resulted in 11 additional cases. 

At least 70% of the cases were unvaccinated. 

The vaccines currently authorized in the U.S. have been shown to be effective among fully vaccinated individuals, even against the more transmissible and severe variants. 

Both outbreaks were in Schuyler and Adams counties, where approximately 40% of their population fully vaccinated.

The IDPH continues to assist local health departments involved in the youth camp and conference outbreaks and is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

In addition, specimens are being sought for genomic sequencing to determine if any of the cases were caused by variants.

Information about where to get a COVID-19 vaccination can be found at https://www.vaccines.gov.

CDC guidance adopted by IDPH for operating youth camps can be found at their website.